The Coming Messenger



Hebrew Alphabet from Psalm 119January 2 – February 10, 2020Psalm 119 is divided into 22 sections, each consisting of 8 verses. Each section has a letter of the Hebrew Alphabet assigned to it. The Hebrew alphabet is very symbolic with many layers of meaning. As we study Psalm 119 during this fast, I urge you to study the meanings of the letters, and how they relate to the eight verses associated with them. Aleph This is the first letter of the Hebrew Alphabet. It is made of 3 letters that make one letter. This is just like God, He is made up of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – 3 persons in one. The longer part is said to represent our soul, while the top part represents our spirit, and the lower part our flesh. We too are three parts in one. I Am, Adonai, El, and Elohim (names of God) start with the aleph. His names reflect the character and nature of God. So this letter means In God’s image. Adam’s name starts with the aleph. He was made in God’s image. We have seen in the verses of this section that we are to walk in the ways of God and Jesus – to live them according to the pattern He has set for all of us in His Word. And we are to reflect God’s image back to the world. The word aleph itself is made up of three Hebrew letters. They mean Lord, Learn, and Speak. We must meet the Lord, learn from Him, and then speak of Him to the world.Day 2Lord, I want Your ways to be my ways. Your ways are perfect and sure. I must study your ways, which means I must look at them, learn them, and keep them! When I do, I will not be ashamed. The word ashamed as several meanings: Disappointed- disappointed because something was not as good as we expected or hoped. But we know that God’s ways are perfect, so we can know they are ALL for our good and we will not be disappointed!Delayed- when something happens later than we think it should. But we now that God is Sovereign. With Him, things move and happen exactly when God wants them to happen.Confused- unable to understand. But we know that as believers we are all given the Holy Spirit, so that we can understand the ways of God!Shamed- feeling guilt, regret, or sadness for something we have done. But we know that all our shame and guilt has been washed clean by the precious blood of Christ that He she don the cross of us!Disconcerted- to throw into confusion, to be upset or embarrassed. But we know that all our shame and guilt has been washed clean by Jesus Christ on the Cross, forever!Anxious- afraid or nervous about what might happen, being fearful, or extreme unease in our mind. But we know that God is not the author of confusion. He will bring us on the right way where we will not be ashamed!When we carefully study God’s Word and walk in His WAYS, it is then that we can TRULY PRAISE HIM with pure and righteous hearts, with all our body, soul, and spirit!BeitDay 3Beit is the 2nd letter of the Hebrew Alphabet. It is a picture of a house or a dwelling, with a roof, wall, floor, and an open door on the left. Our passage today opened with a question- “How can a young man cleanse his way?” He was acknowledging that the ways he was walking in were not always pure, not always lining up with God’s ways. The answer was- “By taking heed of Your Word.” The Hebrew word for “taking heed” is shamar, which means to hedge in or enclose with thorns. This reminded me of the passage in Hosea 2:6-7 when God spoke to Gomer, a harlot. She represented God’s people who were continually playing the harlot with false gods. Therefore (since you have played the harlot), behold (look closely) I will HEDGE UP YOUR WAYS WITH THORNS, and I will build a wall against you so that you cannot finds YOUR PATH (so she cannot go back to her lovers). She decides it would be best to go back to her husband. The Hebrew word for hedge up your way with thorns is shamar, the same word used in Psalm 119:9 for taking heed. When someone had something of value that they wanted preserved from wild animals or raiders, they would build a thorny hedge around it to keep them out. In Gomer’s case, God was building the thorny hedge to keep her in and protected.So the passage in Psalm 119 was saying that the way to walk in purity is to allow God’s word to set a thorny hedge around us, as a BOUNDARY. Just like the letter BEIT is a boundary- a dwelling for us. We have the free will to stay in the house or to leave by the door. But to walk in God’s ways, we need to stay within the boundaries God has provided for us in His Word!Day 4Already in the first 16 verses of Psalm 119 we have seen nine different words used for God’s Word: ways, law, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, judgments, word, and ordinances. We have also see the verbs that tell us how we should interact with God’s Word: Walk- follow God’s pathObserve – guard His WordSeek after – follow what is saidKeep- cherish and protectLook – read and think about deeply, ponderGive thanks- worshipLearn – be a student and teach othersTell others – write and speak to othersRejoice – treasure His WordMeditate – think about and prayContemplate – look at closely Delight- read with great joyNot forget them – remember what you have read and studied Let’s ponder today, how are we doing?GimelDay 5The next letter of the Hebrew Alphabet is found in verse 17- the GIMEL, which means REWARD. Our passage starts with “deal bountifully with me that I may live and keep (treasure) Your Word”. Deal bountifully with means to reward. Hebrews shows us that God rewards those who diligently seek Him.Hebrews 11:6? And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.Gimel also points to the HOLY SPIRIT, who instructs and convicts all believers in the areas of sin, righteousness, and judgment. John 14:15-26 says that if we love God, we will keep His commandments. Then Jesus will ask the Father, and He will give us another Helper, the Spirit of truth who will abide in us. If we keep His commandments it shows God that we love Him, and then God will disclose Himself to us. If we loves Jesus, and keep (guard) His word; and God will love us, and make His home in us. How does He do that? – through the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. Verse 26 tells us that God will send us a Helper, called the Holy Spirit, who teach us all things, and bring to our remembrance all that He has said to us.Psalm 119: 18 Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law. This verse brings to my mind Ephesians 1:18-19.? I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,? and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. The more we read and study God’s word, WE ARE REWARDED WITH MORE AND MORE UNDERSTANDING OF HIS WORD AND HIS MESSAGES. Can we be like the Psalmist who says, “My soul beaks with longing after Your ordinances at all times”?Day 6These passages again remind me that the Holy Spirit is with us and He is our reward (gimel), which I really need to remember when people speak against me unjustly. It is comforting when the Word acknowledges that we will be faced with difficult people in our lives. Life can be hard and when we are faced with attacks from arrogant and bitter people who hold us in contempt, and who disrespect us and our faith- we must remember that the Holy Spirit will bring the soothing words of God to our remembrance, and they will be a delight to our souls. God’s word will counsel us and lead us in the right way to act around unjust criticism. DaletDay 7In the AWAKENING that the Lord is wanting to do in us during the beginning part of this fast, we must be honest with ourselves and see where we truly are. David confessed:My soul clings to the dust- our mind, will, and emotions are holding onto the things of this world- instead of soaring with the LordI have declared my ways, saying this is the way I want to do things – instead I need to sit at Your feet and let You teach me Your statutesI can see that I do not understand the way of Your precepts – please make me understand the way of Your precepts, so I can meditate on your truths My soul melts with heaviness – please strengthen me according to Your WordRemove the way of lying from me, remove my false ways – please grant me Your law graciously – meaning can I have grace instead of punishment?Woven in his confession, David declared to the Lord:I have chosen the way of truthI have laid Your judgments before meI cling to Your testimonies – please do not put me to shameI will run the course of Your commandments, as You enlarge My heart to have the capacity to do these things!The Hebrew letter for these eight passages is the DALET, which means a DOOR. In these verses we see the Holy Spirit knocking at the door of our heart, asking to come in with God’s words, statutes, precepts, laws, ways of truth, judgments, testimonies and commands. When we allow the door to be opened to these things, the Holy Spirt can revive us, teach us, give us understanding, strengthen us, cleanse us with grace, and enlarge our hearts so we can receive more of Him. A DALET has two marks at the top of the letter, which are called ears. One is pointing to the voice of the Holy Spirit, and the other one is pointing to the voice of our flesh. Galatians 5:16-17? But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. ? For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.Do we hear the knocking of the Holy Spirit at the door of our heart? What is keeping us from opening that door?HeiDay 8The Hebrew letter for this section of scriptures is HEI. It is pronounced like the sound of an exhale. It represents the Holy Spirit that resides inside of a believer. He breathed life into us when we accepted Jesus as our Messiah, transforming us into a new identity. Every day He continues to breathe life into us when we are weak and faltering, strengthening us as we daily read and study the Scriptures! The word for MEDITATE has a HEI at the beginning and end, with the letter for MAN in-between. When we meditate on the Scriptures we INHALE the Breath of God; and then we are to EXHALE that Breath God gave us and share what we learned to others around us, in our words, actions, and attitudes. We see this exhibited in Psalm 119: 33-36. We BREATHE IN the Holy Spirit when we ask Him to:Teach us the way of His StatutesGive us understandingMake us walk in the path of His commandmentsIncline (bend) our hearts to His testimoniesWe BREATHE OUT the Holy Spirit when we:Keep (guard and preserve) His statutes to the end (completely all the days of our lives)Keep (treasure and guard) and observe His Law with our whole heartTake delight in the path His commandments take usNot incline (bend) out hearts to dishonest gain (covetousness)HEI also means WINDOW OF OUR SOUL. Is there light coming out of that window today? Will we breathe in the Holy Spirit every day so we can be steadfast in being a light to God and others all the days of our lives?Day 9The last 8 weeks we have been under the banner of AWAKEN, and now we are under the banner of RESURRECTION LOVE. We are still under the letter HEI, which means to breathe. Twice in Psalm 119:37-40 the word REVIVE is used. The Hebrew word for REVIVE is CHAYAH, which begins with a HEI. Revive means to breathe life back into someone. When we are in need of reviving because of the worthless and immoral things we get ourselves entangled with, we need the Holy Spirit to breathe on us and bring us back to life! This comes through Holy Spirit breathed study of God’s Word and His precepts, so we can accept His judgments, righteousness, and correction. We must BREATHE IN the Holy Spirit when we stray from God’s ways. We also see HEI in the word REVERENCE or DEVOTED TO FEARING GOD in verse 38. This word is YIRAH, which also has the letter HEI. This is something we must BREATHE OUT to God. We breathe in His Word and we breathe out PRAISE and DEVOTION!Verse 40 starts with the word BEHOLD. This word is amazing, it begins and ends with a HEI! Behold means to fix our eyes upon something, to see with attention and observe with care. This verse tells us that we are to fix our eyes upon God’s precepts, and when we do, we will keep God’s law all the time! When we BEHOLD God we are not just looking at something casually, but we are BREATHING IN the truths of who He is and then BREATHING OUT reverence and obedience!VavDay 10Pastor Duncan commented that Jesus is the Word made flesh. Let us always be found in Him.The Hebrew letter for this passage is a VAV. It is the most used letter in the Jewish alphabet. One of its main uses is to connect two things together and make them one, by adding the VAV, which is like our AND. Verse 42 says that salvation comes to us according to God’s Word. Jesus is the Word of God. John 1:1-4, 14? In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ?He was in the beginning with God. ? All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. ? In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men… And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.When we trust in God’s Word (verse 42) and when we hope (verse 43) in His judgments, we can be confident that we are now ONE with JESUS!Day 11The VAV is seen clearly in these verses- connecting two phrases and making them one. One is needed to make the other one be joined to it. Since I seek (follow) your precepts, I can will walk in liberty (freedom- no restraints)Since I am not ashamed of Your testimonies, I can speak boldly to everyone, even kings, about who You are.Since I love Your commandments (see them as a friend), I can take great delight in following them.Since I see Your commandments as a friend whom I Love, I will lift my hands to them (surrender My will to God’s commandments).Since I have surrendered my will to God’s commandments, I will meditate on His statutes (think about them and share them with others). Psalm 112:1 Praise the Lord! How blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments.ZayinDay 12The letter ZAYIN means a SWORD. God’s Word is the Sword of Truth. It also means to NOURISH. God’s Word is the Bread of Life. Believers can gain great blessings from God’s Word, which provides spiritual nourishment and spiritual protection. In order to lay hold of these blessing, we have to REMEMBER the truths of God’s Word, and remember that God has a formidable weapon which He effectively uses against our enemies.The word REMEMBER is used three times in this passage. It starts with the letter ZAYIN. When we remember God’s Word, it gives us hope and great comfort as we allow the Holy Spirt to breathe life back into us.When we remember God’s judgments, they also offer us comfort, and give us righteous anger (indignation) for the wickedness around us. When we are moved this way, we will pray with great passion for God to come and brings justice… God also gives is songs of victory to keep us REMEMBERING HOW GREAT AND MIGHTY OUR GOD IS!When we remember God’s name in the night (darkness around us), it helps us keep (guard) God’s laws. The phrase THIS HAS BECOME MINE means God has arrived in my heart and exists there, because I keep (guard) His precepts.Remember that when we REMEMBER the truths in God’s Word, we are picking up the Sword of Truth and the Bread of Life. What wonderful and powerful things we need to remember!ChetDay 13Psalm 119:57-60The next two days are under the letter CHET. It looks like a doorway with 2 doorposts and a lintel on top. When the first Passover was celebrated, God told Moses to tell the people to put the blood of an unblemished lamb on the doorposts and lintel of their homes. This would be sign to the death angel to pass over their house, and permit the people to LIVE. (Exodus 12: 21-23) A CHET is a sign of LIFE! This passage of verses starts with a wonderful declaration that GOD IS OUR PORTION. The word PORTION starts with a CHET. We get that portion by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the fulfilment of Passover. Jesus offered His blood to be shed so He would be the perfect sacrifice and atonement for our sins. We are now spiritual sons and daughters of God, all because of Jesus’ sacrifice! Our PORTION is we become sons and daughters of God Almighty. Jesus did the work on the cross to make a way for us to have ABUNDANT LIFE. Psalm 119 has made it abundantly clear that our responsibility is to walk daily in faith and obedience to God’s Word. The words LIFE, GRACE, and REST are all closely related, and they all contain the letter CHET. By God’s GRACE we receive the gift of eternal LIFE and are invited to enter into His REST. God has also given us the privilege as sons and daughters to ENTREAT His favor. The word ENTREAT means to ask for something earnestly with humility and urgency! That’s PRAYER! Do we use our privilege as sons and daughters, and come before God in prayer for everything? Day 14 Psalm 119:61-64Today’s verses start with a great warning, “The cords of the wicked have bound me.” The Hebrew word for CORDS is the same word for PORTION we saw yesterday. When we associate with the wicked (those who do not live their lives according to God’s ways) a PORTION of their wickedness is shared and given to us- it rubs off on us. This binds us, restrains us, and hinders us from devotion to God. But if we REMEMBER God’s laws and righteousness judgments, and if we worship Him in the midst of the darkness (midnight) groping at us, we will be able to flee from it. But we need to be around others (companions) who REVERE God and keep (guard) His precepts! We need to ask God to TEACH us His statutes. The word used for TEACH here means “to teach with a GOAD”. A GOAD s a pointed instrument used to urge a beast (OX) to move faster, much like spurs in the side of a horse. God’s statutes are a goad, to urge us to go forward into the LIGHT of God and not the darkness. He wants us to have abundant LIFE!Are we still bound by the pull of wickedness? Are we still associating with those who urge us to do deeds of wickedness? Or is that wickedness inside of us, urging us to partake?We need to ask the Holy Spirit, “What is still binding us to wickedness?’ Remember wickedness is walking in our ways and not God’s ways!Whatever wickedness is inside of us has bound us, and hinders us from truly being with God!TetDay 15Psalm 119:65-68The Hebrew letter for this section is Tet, sometimes spelled Teth. It is made of two other letters: the Zayin and the Vav. The Zayin is shaped like a sword, and we saw that it represents Jesus. The Vav is a connector and it is curved as if bowing or yielding to the Zayin. These two are YOKED together. In our lives will always bow down and be yoked to something: either God’s ways or our fleshy ways fed by satan. Both lead to death. If we bow to the Lord Jesus Christ we must die to our fleshly ways, but live eternally with God. But if we bow to satan, we will die spiritually and miss out on a loving relationship with God! Romans 12:1-2? “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. ?And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”Bowing to God’s ways is taking the time to learn His ways and to walk in obedience to them! Psalm 119:65-68 starts with a declaration, “You Lord, have dealt well with Your servant, according to Your word.” The phrase DEALS WELL means to become mature by walking alongside someone wise, for the purpose of yielding more fruit. That is being yoked. Then it says TEACH ME twice in these 4 verses:TEACH ME good judgment and knowledge TEACH me Your statutesWhen we walk alongside Jesus and listen to His teachings about good judgment, knowledge, and His statutes, we will become mature, and produce great fruit in our lives. As we bow in submission to Jesus, as we walk more and more in His ways, the yoke we share will not be so heavy, and it will no longer rub us the wrong way!Matthew 11:29-30? "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."Day 16Psalm 119:69-72The word GOOD is used six times in this passage under the letter TET. The Hebrew word for GOOD is TOB and it starts with the letter TET. It is easy to see the good in our good times, and our good circumstances; but verse 71 says “IT IS GOOD THAT I WAS AFFLICTED”. What good is to come out of affliction? This passage says through them we will learn His statutes, we will learn more about Him! God is always teaching us about His ways, especially in our times of testing and affliction. The Book of James starts out talking about this same thing. He says we need to CONSIDER all the TRIALS we encounter in our lives JOY, because they are for our benefit. The trials produce endurances in us, which is a steadfast heart to follow God and remain under the trial until the Lord releases us. This endurance will have a PERFECT RESULT in our hearts and lives. (James 1:2-5) So when we are afflicted by various trials and afflictions, we need to LOOK FOR THE GOOD. It may take a while to see the good, but we can KNOW that GOOD will come out of it IF we walk in God’s ways all the way through. James 1:12? Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.YudDay 17Psalm 119:73-80Our passage of scripture today starts with, “Your HANDS have made me and fashioned me…” The Hebrew word for hands is Yud or Yodh. The Letter YUD looks like a comma suspended in the air. The HAND of God in our lives is the Holy Spirit, driven by the very life and essence of God. GOD’S HAND gives us understanding, so we can learn His commandments and have HOPE (confidence) in His Word. The word HOPE starts with the letter YUD. Only though the hand of God resting upon us though the presence of the Holy Spirit, can we have confidence the path He has for our lives is right! GOD’S HAND deals out righteousness judgments faithfully, so we KNOW the afflictions we face are from Him, to judge our actions and to get us back on track. The word for KNOW in verse 75 is YADA, which is to know and by known by God in an intimate way. This word also begins with the YUD. With His hand, God is calling us into close intimacy with Him. GOD’S HAND offers us merciful kindness (tender love), so we may be comforted.GOD’S HAND stretches out to give us tender mercies (compassion), so we may live. The word LIVE here is CHAYAH which is the same word we saw on Day 9 that means to be revived – brought back to life by the breathe of the Holy Spirit. CHAYAH begins with the HE (breath of God), has the YUD in the middle, and the letter TAW at the end (which means the cross). God’s hand breathes life into us through the love Jesus displayed by his death on the Cross. With GOD’S HAND upon us, His ways are a delight to us.With God’s HAND upon us, we can meditate on His precepts. Meditate means to think about and talk things over with God. With GOD’S HAND on us, we can walk blameless before Him and not be ashamed!With GOD’S HAND upon us, we can do all things to please God! Let’s purpose to be aware of God’s Hand on us this day, and walk with closely with Him!KafDay 18Psalm 119: 81-84The Hebrew letter for this section is a KAF or Kaph. It looks like a backwards C. It resembles the palm of our hand, signifying the WORKS OF OUR HANDS. As Christians we are to be active in living out our faith in Jesus Christ before others. We do this by walking in the Fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23? But the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ?gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.When the letter KAF is used at the beginning of a word, it signifies that a comparison is being used. In English we say something is LIKE something else. Verse 83 uses a KAF 3 times. “THOUGH I have become LIKE a wineskin in the smoke, I do not FORGET Your statutes.”First the word THOUGH is a KAF, signaling that a comparison is coming. The writer then compares himself to a WINESKIN that is left in the smoke. It has become dry and shriveled, becoming useless. Before that he says that his soul is LANGUISHING and his eyes are FAILING. But he picks himself up out of his idle and unproductive state and declares that He will NOT FORGET God’s statutes. The word for NOT FORGET has a KAF in the middle. It means that he will not let go of them, but keep them tightly held in the PALM of his HAND. Have our hands become idle for the Kingdom of God? If so, let’s cry out to the Lord to help us hold tightly to His Words, and then walk them out!Day 19Psalm 119: 85-88As believers, we have much coming against us to keep us from obedience to God, and especially getting closer to God. This passage talks about the pits the arrogant (proud) have dug to put us is, the unjust persecution of their lies about us, and how they try to destroy us. But in the midst of this persecution and opposition, part of being steadfast is to run to God and rest securely in the Palm of His Hand (KAF). When we are resting in God, out of His incredible love for us He will REVIVE us - put life, strength, and hope back into us. He does this so we will KEEP His testimonies and become a testimony for Him to the world around us. We must be good witnesses for God. Psalm 57:6-7? They have prepared a net for my steps; My soul is bowed down; They dug a pit before me; They themselves have fallen into the midst of it. My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!LamedDay 20Psalm 119: 89-92We have some wonderful truths in verses 89-92.God’s Word is forever established and settled in heavenGod’s faithfulness endures to all generationsGod established the earth and it stands (remains)Heaven and Earth continue to this day according to God’s ordinances (God has set laws for nature to follow, like gravity), because everything is subject to God (servants of God).When we are going through difficult times of affliction, these truths are a delight to us, knowing that God is Sovereign and in control of EVERYTHING! If we do not have these truths grounding us, we would perish (wander away from God and lose our way).The Hebrew letter LAMED has 2 wonderful symbolic meanings that speak to the truths of God’s sovereignty.It represents a lighthouse to light the way in the darkness for lost ships to find their way.It also represents a shepherd staff to guide wayward sheep back to the flock, and the beat off predators.Day 21Psalm 119: 93-96The Hebrew word OLAM, that contains the letter LAMED, is used twice in verses 89-96. First it is used to declare that God’s Word is FOREVER – for all eternity. Then the writer is stating that he will NEVER FORGET FOR ALL ETERNITY God’s Precepts. Olam is the word for ETERNITY. I again think of the LAMED that resembles a Lighthouse. Even though we know it will not stand for eternity, it will stand for many generations to see its light. It will be a constant in our lives, just like God’s Word and His Precepts. This section begins with a call to never ever forget God’s precepts for all eternity, because they are what will REVIVE us (bring us back to life). Even when the wickedness in the world seeks to destroy us, if we keep our eyes fixed with diligence (intelligent understanding) on the TESTIMONIES in God’s Word we can stand firm. Seeing how others have stood firm helps us to stand firm also. Human wisdom and knowledge is limited, but not so with God’s. He is always willing to share His wisdom with us when we need it, thorough the Holy Spirit.John 14:26? “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”MemDay 22Psalm 119: 97-100There are many treasures in the Word of God. Some are obvious as we are reading, yet others are hidden deeper for us to find and have revealed by the Holy Spirit. As we STUDY GOD’S WORD and its laws, commandments, testimonies, precepts, ways, statutes, righteous judgments, ordinances, and wonders; and MEDITATE ON THEM ALL DAY; and GUARD THESE TREASURED WORDS in our hearts and mind, it is then that we will RECEIVE GREAT WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING. The Hebrew letter used in this section is a MEM. It is written two ways depending on where this letter is placed in a word. The main way a MEM is drawn is as a KAP and A VAV put together, leaving a small gap at the lower left side. Remember the KAP represented God’s hand and the VAV is a connector. This represents God’s hand holding the Words of Life from His Word which are open to all believers. These are the OPEN AND OBVIOUS TRUTHS in the Word of God. When a MEM is used at the END of a word, it is totally closed. This represents God’s hand being closed to some of His truths, but He is always inviting His people to come into intimacy with Him. It is there is the secret place that the Lord wants to REVEAL THE HIDDEN TRUTHS OF HIS HEART. When we purpose to get alone with God on a regular basis, and spend true quality time with Him, He will know that He can trust us with the profound mysteries in His Word.Proverbs 25:2? “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.”Daniel 2:21-22? "…(God) gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding. ?It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things…”Great joy comes from finding and understanding the hidden truths of God’s Word. Are we willing to spend the necessary time in the secret place to cultivate the intimacy with the Lord He desires? Are we wanting to dive deeper into God’s Word to find the mysteries He has hidden for us to find? Day 23Psalm 119: 101-104The symbol for water is H2O in English. In Hebrew it written with an open MEM, a YUD, and a closed MEM. This is also the Hebrew word MAYIM. The open MEM signifies a water source that is open to impurities. The YUD signifies God’s hand. The closed MEM signifies pure and living water. When impure water goes through the Hands of God it is purified (healed), and made into Living Water. After Jesus returns and becomes our King on Earth, a temple will be built that is described in the last eight chapters of Ezekiel. It says that LIVING WATER will flow from the Temple and make a deep river that will go through the Arabah (desert) and flow in to the DEAD SEA. Everything that this living water touches will become pure and be healed. Ezekiel 47:8? “Then he said to me, These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the Arabah(desert); then they go toward the sea, being made to flow into the sea, and the waters of the Dead Sea become fresh(Living Waters).”God’s Word comes to bring us that LIVING WATER to purify us to be HOLY! When we turn from our impure and self-centered WAYS, and HUMBLE ourselves to walk in God’s WAYS, acknowledging that they are what is best for us, then we are walking in WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING. Verses 101-104 show us:When we KEEP (guard) God’s Word in our hearts, we are able to restrain (restrict, keep back) our feet from every evil way. The word for RESTRAIN is KALA in Hebrew. It is composed of a KAP, a LAMED, and an ALEPH. When we RESTRAIN we are COMPARING our GOOD WORKS to GOD’S WAYS.When we allow God to teach us His Judgments, we will not depart (turn aside) from them.When we slow down and take the time to savor (taste and enjoy) God’s Words, we will be able to comprehend how sweet they are, sweeter than honey.When we truly understand God’s precepts, we will hate every false way (our ways). Jeremiah 31:9? "With weeping (humble repentance) they will come, and by supplication I will lead them; I will make them walk by streams of waters , on a straight path in which they will not stumble…"I know our flesh is telling us that our WAYS are best, but I pray we are all seeing that God’s WAYS truly are the only way we are to WALK in!NunDay 24Psalm 119: 105-108Our passage starts with, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” This is a familiar verse that has us all saying, “Yes, I want that light”. But having a lighted path is not the goal, walking in humble submission to it is! The word for LIGHT and PATH both start with the letter NUN. This Hebrew letter resembles a bent and backwards C, signifying HUMILITY! For God’s Word to be an effective LIGHT and PATH we must receive it with humility. When we walk in humility, we allow the Holy Spirit to refine God’s character in us. Verse 107 speaks to this also. “I am exceedingly afflicted; revive me, O Lord, according to Your word.” The word for afflicted is ANAH, which starts with a NUN, and it means HUMBLED and bowed down with the weight of our sin. Sin is telling God that we are NOT satisfied with the BOUNDARIES He has set for our lives (His Word, Ordinances, Laws, Precepts, testimonies, statutes…). This passage tells us what our response to our sins should be before God after we have been humbled. Swear to keep His Word – vow to guard It as a treasureConfirm His Word – get up and walk in His WaysGive freewill offerings of our mouth to God – a freewill offering is a GIFT to God, singing His praises. When we truly appreciate God’s boundaries for our lives, and are satisfied to walk in His Ways, then God will be most glorified. The Hebrew word for gift is NATAN. It begins and ends with a NUN. The NUN at the end is changed to its final form, which is no longer bent down, but raised up to be straight. When we humble ourselves to give God a gift of praise, good works, time in study of His Word, time in fellowship with Him, resulting with us walking in His Ways, GOD IS GLORIFIED. He is raised up in our eyes- we see Him for who He truly is. Are we truly satisfied with the boundaries God has set for us as His sons and daughters?Day 25Psalm 119: 109-112This passage starts out with the real life struggle all children of God experience. Our souls (mind, will, and emotions) are in a huge battle. We are constantly in danger from the traps the wicked lay for us. The enemy stirs us people around us (some we know and others are strangers), to get us to stray away from walking in all of God’s ways! How often are we having a great day with the Lord, and then someone says something hurtful or accusatory, or someone cuts us of in traffic … The word for LAID a snare is NATAN that means GIFT. The enemy GIFTS us with traps and snares to get us to forget God and His laws and precepts. But God has a much better gift for us – an INHERITANCE that brings JOY not anger! Let’s incline our hearts to always choose to follow God’s Ways. This is a real battle we face, but with God’s presence in our lives, we can have great victories!SamechDay 26Psalm 119: 113-116The Hebrew Letter for this section is a Samech. It is the only letter that is totally enclosed. This signifies GOD’S SURROUNDING PERIMETER OF PROTECTION, which is available to everyone who believes in Him. But unfortunately we tend to be double minded at time as our verses talk about. We read about God’s ways and say, “Yes, we want to walk in them.” But then we turn around and start walking in what looks right to us. When we truly humble ourselves before God and His Ways, and put our HOPE in Him, He will be our HIDING PLACE and our SHIELD. (verse 114)We must be careful to let God enclose us with his Love, and to not enclose ourselves with walls we hide behind. SAMECH spelled backwards is Kamas which means concealed or stored away. When we lack faith in God’s ability to surround us with His protection, our fears and in securities cause us to hide from God and others behind the walls we erect. I urge you to look at the vision God gave us at the beginning of this fast. It is posted on the first day of this blog, under instructions. It was of 4 pillars with banners hung from pillar to pillar, forming a boundary, a perimeter for us to abide within. These banners are called LOVE, PEACE, JOY, and KINDNESS. God spoke to us and said, “Stay within these boundaries. I have put a banner over you. Remain and Abide.” May Psalm 119:116 be our cry to God this day, “Uphold (samech) me according to Your Word, that I may live; and do not let me be ashamed of my hope.” Day 27Psalm 119: 117-120In verse 116 and 117 we see a plea for God to HOLD US UP so we may live and be safe. It is such a comfort to me that I KNOW that we can always lean upon the Lord for SUPPORT AND STRENGTH. This confidence comes when we RESPECT and REVERENCE God and His Word. We show reverence for God by walking in obedience to His statutes – the boundaries He has placed around His people so we can walk in intimacy with Him. But we are warned in this passage that God will REJECT those who stray away from His Statutes, and He will remove the wicked like dross. Dross is the junk that rises to the top when metal is melted in the process of making it pure. The author is quick to say that he loves God’s testimonies, and trembles in fear of God and His judgments (consequences). Do we tremble in fear of God and His judgments? Do we really see how serious our sins are to God? Then let’s stop leaning on ourselves for wisdom, and let God be the One whom we run to continually for SUPPORT AND STRENGTH!Proverbs 3:5-7? “Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. ? In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. ? Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.”AyinDay 28Psalm 119: 121-124The Hebrew letter for this section is an AYIN. It looks like a squiggly Y with 2 eyes at the top. It should be no surprise that it means an EYE. The author is struggling in this passage, with the oppression his eyes are seeing all around him. He said, “My eyes fail with longing for Your salvation and for your righteous word.” What he was seeing with his eyes caused him to grow tired of waiting for things to change; as we do too! But we must KNOW and STAND in our knowledge that our INVISIBLE God is right by our side and He will never fail us. Our hope needs to be in the Lord and not what we SEE! Hebrews 12:1-2? “… let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,?FIXING OUR EYES on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith …”Verse 122 says, “Be SURETY for Your servant for good”. SURETY starts with an AYIN, and it means to be secure in our knowledge of who God is. Even though we do not see God with our physical eyes, we can be SURE that HE SEES US. We need to use our spiritual eyes and the promises in His Word, to be confident that He is with us for our GOOD, especially in the face of opposition and injustice. SURETY also means to become legally liable for the debt of another. Jesus is our surety. He shed His BLOOD to pay for the debts of our sins. If we walk according to God’s Word and His Spirit, then we will have EYES to truly see Him!Day 29Psalm 119: 125-128The letter AYIN is silent (makes no sound) in the Hebrew language. Fifteen words in the AYIN section contain an AYIN. This letter may be silent, but it has a great presence and significance in these verses. One of these words is SERVANT, and it is used three times in these eight verses. The word for servant begins with an AYIN, signifying that servants are to always keep their EYES upon their masters, and they are to be SILENT. The second letter used in SERVANT is a BEIT, which we saw is the picture of a house, an enclosure to be safe. Servants are to live their lives within the BOUNDARIES set for them by their master. The last letter is a final DALET, which means a door, signifying our witness at the door - what others see in us about our relationship with our Master. In verse 125, the writer is saying that he is God’s servant and he is asking his Master to give him understanding to KNOW (YADA) His testimonies. It is interesting that YADA ends in an AYIN, signifying he wants to SILENCE his own thoughts and only listen to God’s truths. The word THEREFORE is used two times in today’s passage. It is composed of two words. The first word starts with the silent AYIN and ends with a LAMED which signifies the knowledge of God that leads to good works. The second word is composed of a KAPH (good works) and a final NUN (stand upright). When we put these meanings together we can get greater understanding. Because the Lord is God Almighty and we are His servants, He will rise us up to do His works. The word THEREFORE is just setting the stage for what is to be said next. So when we live our lives as a servant of God and truly live our lives acknowledging that He is Almighty God, then we will:Love His commandments more than fine goldConsider ALL of His Precepts to be rightHate every false wayWhat is keeping us from truly being a bond servant of the Lord?Can we be content and skilled to silence the thoughts in our minds and truly hear the voice of our Master? Peh or PETHDay 30Psalm 119: 129-132The Hebrew letter for this section of Psalm 119 is a PEH or PETH, which means the MOUTH. It is made of the letter KAF (which signifies a cup or container), and a YUD (which signifies the Holy Spirit). After we see (AYIN) and understand God’s Word, we should open our mouths and speak the truths to others that we have seen in the Bible. Our MOUTHS should only contain world of godliness controlled only by the Holy Spirit. 04000500When our mouths become vessels of honor ruled by the Holy Spirit, then God’s Word will be found there. It is interesting to note that inside the shape of the PEH we can see a BEIT (the Word of God) hidden away. Joshua 1:8? "This book of the law shall NOT DEPART FROM YOUR MOUTH, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”Verse 129 says, “Your testimonies are WONDERFUL (pronounced PEHLEH - miracles filled with wonder), therefore my soul KEEPS them (treasures them). The UNFOLDING (PETHACH – speaking) of Your Words gives light and understanding to the SIMPLE (PETHI- open minded). When we see and experience the miraculous wonders and miracles of God in His Word and in our lives, we must open up our mouths and tells them to others, who have hearts open to God. Are we speaking out to those around us about the miracles we see that God has done in His Word or in our lives?In verse 131 the writer says he is opening his MOUTH (PEH) with panting and longing for God’s Commandments. Do we truly long for God’s Word, and see it as something we desperately need for life?Psalm 42:1? “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.”Day 31Psalm 119: 133-136As believers in Jesus Christ, we are so blessed by the path the Lord has given every one of us to walk with Him. There are so many wonderful blessings that God has shown us in Psalm 119 for those who walk in His Ways. But I appreciate the honesty of the writer of this Psalm to acknowledge THAT LIVING THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER IS TOUGH AT TIMES. The INIQUITIES still in us are continually trying to have dominion (rule) over us. We are confronted by people who seek to OPPRESS us. The Hebrew word for oppress means to injure, defraud, distress, cheat, be cruel, steal, and extort. Unfortunately this is growing in frequency and intensity in the world today, and it can throw us off the path the Lord has for us to walk with Him. We MUST KEEP OUR EYES upon God’s precepts and LEARN from His statutes!Luke 1:74-75? Grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.Verse 136 encourages us to GRIEVE rivers of tears over the people we encounter in our day to day lives, who do not walk in God’s ways. This includes those in the church, and those who have never known the Lord. We must lovingly open up our mouth (PEH) and share the gospel with those who do not know the Lord; and lovingly confront God’s people who have stayed from God’s Ways.Tzaddi, Tsade, TsadheDay 32Psalm 119: 137-144The Hebrew letter for this section is TSADHE, which is the word for righteousness, a is used 5 times in this passage to speak of the righteousness of God. God’s righteousness in always right, just, and faithful. We can always count upon Him to do the RIGHT thing! The Hebrew letter TSADHE looks like a man kneeling with his hands raised to God. This humble posture before God is a sign of a righteous man. This letter also has a final version, when it is used at the end of a word. It still looks like a man with his arms raised to God, but he is now standing tall, signifying the rewards in heaven for righteousness. The Hebrew word for RIGHTEOUSNESS is made up of three Hebrew letters: TSADHE – living according to God’s ways which are rightDALET – being a witness at the doorKOF – holy to the LordWe are to live lives that are marked by RIGHT CONDUCT according to God’s Ways. This should lead us to being a WITNESS to everyone around us of God’s righteousness and faithfulness, and Jesus’ sacrifice for us. Then God sees us as HOLY to Him!2 Corinthians 5:20-21 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ? He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM.This section was all about God’s righteousness that we are to imitate. The last eight days have been under the heading of SURRENDERED HEART in our fast. Look how the Hebrew letters in this section beautifully point to this. When we truly understand the GIFT GOD HAS GIVEN US (NUN), and LEAN UPON HIM FOR SUPPORT (SAMECH), and SEE (AYIN) His truths for ourselves; then we must SPEAK (PEH) to others about Him, and walk in His RIGHTEOOUS Ways (TSADHE) – that is a SURRENDERED HEART!KOPH or QOPDay 33Psalm 119: 145-148Our next Hebrew letter is the KOPH which signifies our being HOLY to the LORD. Holiness is living a life set apart for God and His purposes. It is a process. Jesus’ death and our belief in Him as our Savior makes us holy. But then we have the responsibility to live righteously. This requires constant diligence and maintenance in our lives. The more we yield to the leadings of God, the more set apart we become. Holiness is developed by the disciplines of prayer and study of God’s Word. A KOPH is made of two Hebrew letters that do not touch – the KAPH (hand of God), and the ZAYIN (the Word of God). When Christians allow God’s hand to lead them through His Word, and we yield to what He is saying (choose to obey it – be living sacrifices), then holiness produces great fruitfulness. Two words in our passage of scripture today start with the KOPH: CRY OUT and RISE. At first I thought, what do these two words have to do with holiness? But then I realized these are instructions for living out holiness. First we are to CRY OUT to God (QARA) with our whole heart (not having any mixture in our flesh), and then CRY OUT to Him for what is on our heart. Then He will hear us and give us the help we need. Both times CRY OUY is used, it is followed by promises to keep (guard in our hearts) His statutes and testimonies. How do we KEEP them? By reading and studying the Word of God. When does this passage suggest we do this? We are to meditate on God’s Word EARLY IN THE MORNING, rising before dawn, and also into the EVENING (night watches). The Hebrew word for RISE is QADAM, which means we hasten (hurry with gladness) to meet someone. Do we come into our quiet times out of gladness to be with God, or out of Christian duty? We are also to MEDITATE on His Word at these times. The word meditate means to ponder. After we read and study a passage of scripture, we need to ponder on it. This means we are to think more deeply about how it applies to our lives and then talk it over with God. Are we excited to get out of our warm beds each morning to meet with God? Do we take the time in the evenings to talk with God and discuss our day with Him, and the things we have experienced during the day that need prayer? This is part of living a life that is HOLY and set apart for God.Day 34Psalm 119: 149-152Our flesh says holiness is denying ourselves things that we like, but holiness is actually the path to special benefits and privileges. In this passage of Psalm 119 I see the PERKS (side benefits) of being set apart from the world for God. We should take great comfort in the fact that we KNOW (yada) God is ALWAYS NEAR to His holy ones. He always HEARS OUR CRIES to Him. (149)He is always there to REVIVE US – bring life back into us when we are down. (149)He is always NEAR to us like a friend, ally, or family who we can always call when we need help. (151)He always provides stability to our lives with His testimonies.(152)Proverbs 18:10 “The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and are safe!”ReshDay 35Psalm 119: 153-156The Hebrew letter used in this passage of Psalm 119 is the RESH. It resembles outline of a side profile of the back of a human head. The word RESH actually means HEAD. It represents HUMAN REASONING. Human reasoning is when we direct thoughts and reasons to make a decision, but too often they are OUR thoughts and OUR reasons and OUR emotions. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells to NOT LEAN ON OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING – our OWN REASONING! But we are to Trust in the Lord and acknowledge His ways, and He will direct our path. We all know this verse, but how often do we reason in our minds and not consult God and His ways?The letter RESH has a prominent place in our verses today and tomorrow. We will look at 5 of them today in our four verses.Verse 153 - “CONSIDER my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget Your law.” ?The word CONSIDER is RAAH. It is made of 3 Hebrew letters: a RESH (reason), an ALEPH (God’s character and ways), and a HEI (Holy Spirit). The writer is asking God to REASON according to HIS WAYS, and lead him by the HOLY SPIRIT to bring him deliverance.Verse 154 – “PLEAD MY CAUSE and redeem me; revive me according to Your WORD.” The word for PLEAD MY CAUSE is ROOB. It is made of two Hebrew letters: the RESH (reason) and the BEIT (God’s Word). Also look at the word for WORD, which is made of 4 Hebrew Words. It has an ALEPH (God’s character and ways), a MEM (wash with living water), a RESH (reasoning), and it ends with a HEI (Holy Spirit). The writer is asking for the goodness of God to wash over him with the reasoning of the Holy Spirit, then he will be revived.Verse 155 – “Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do NOT SEEK Your statutes.” The word for SEEK is DARASH. It is made up of three Hebrew letters: a DALET (door), a RESH (reasoning), and a SHIN (peace). The writer is saying that the door of the reasoning of the wicked will NOT lead to peace. Verse 156 – “Great are Your TENDER MERCIES, O Lord; revive me according to Your judgments.” The word for tender mercies is RACHAM, and it is made up of three Hebrew letters: the RESH (reasoning), the HEI (Holy Spirit), and the closed MEM (BREATHE LIFE). When we reason by the leading of the Holy Spirit, He will breathe life into us, and we will be revived!Watchman Nee wrote: “The greatest hindrance to obeying God is our own human reasoning.” Let us stop leaning on our own reasoning and lean upon God. That is where the good way is! Look up Jeremiah 6:16 and see where you are.Day 36Psalm 119: 157-160The letter RESH looks similar to a BEIT, except the BEIT (Word of God) has a line on the bottom to give it a firm foundation. RESH (human reasoning) MUST HAVE THE WORD OF GOD TO GIVE US THE STABILITY WE NEED. The writer of this passage in Psalm 119 acknowledges just that. He is facing great persecution, schemes of his enemies, and treachery (betrayal of trust) which are all coming after him to knock him down. But he is choosing to:NOT TURN from God’s testimoniesKEEP God’s WordLOVE God’s PreceptsKNOW the entirety of God’s Word is truthKNOW that every righteous judgment of God is everlasting2 Timothy 3:7? always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.One of our greatest enemies is PRIDE. Reliance on HUMAN REASONING is a direct result of Pride (I can do it), and is often fueled by the accumulation of knowledge. We literally have so much knowledge at our fingertips, that we can get a puffed up image of ourselves. BUT THIS KNOWLEDGE MUST LINE UP WITH THE WORD OF GOD OR ELSE IT WILL BE USELESS. Ephesians 4:14-15 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,If we realize we have succumbed to the enemy of PRIDE, stop and REPENT. God will REVIVE us according to His Lovingkindness.ShinDay 37Psalm 119: 161-164SHIN means protection, guardian, flames of fire - lightVerse 161?- PRINCES persecute me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your word. ? The word PRINCES (sar) is made up of a SHIN and a RESH. Leaders are supposed to be our guardians who protect us. But when they lead out of human reasoning, they will bring persecution without a cause (run after us with hostile intent for no reason). When this happens, we need to set our hearts to stand in AWE of God’s words that He speaks to us. Verse 162?- I REJOICE at Your word as one who finds great TREASURE. ?The word REJOICE (sus) is made up of TWO SHIN with a vowel in the middle. This word means to be bright like a flame- having great joy and expressing it to God! Even in the face of persecution we can all experience this great JOY when we treasure God’s Word. The word TREASURE (shalal) is made up of a SHIN and 2 LAMED. The SHIN means a fire, and LAMED means a light to our path. The greatest treasures are found in God’s Word. They are a fire to consume what is not right within us, and a very bright (double light) light to the paths God has for us to walk.Verse 163 -?I HATE and abhor LYING, But I love Your law. ?The word HATE (sane) is made up of a SHIN, NUN, and an ALEPH. The SHIN means fire, NUN means humility, and ALEPH means our body, soul and spirit. The word LYING (sheqer) is made of a SHIN, a KOPH, and a RESH. The SHIN means fire, the KOPH means holiness, and the RESH means human reasoning. In humility a fire burns within my body, soul, and spirt, causing me to hate the light of holiness seen though human reasoning (counterfeit holiness - pride). BUT I love Your law! He is clinging to the Word of God and not the falseness of the world! Verse 164 -?SEVEN TIMES a day I praise You, Because of Your righteous judgments.SEVEN TIMES represents an indefinite number, not just 7. The word SEVEN TIMES (sheba) is made up of a SHIN, a BEIT, and an AYIN. The SHIN means flames of fire, the BEIT means God’s Word, and the AYIN means the eye. We should always have our eyes upon God’s Word so the Holy Spirit can burn brightly in us. The outflow of that is continual worship on our lips and hearts! Day 38Psalm 119: 165-168The letter SHIN is strongly linked to the idea of PEACE. When we have put our hope in Jesus, and allowed the light of Jesus to shine brightly in our hearts, we are safe and secure in God’s arms. This is PEACE. In verse 165 we see the Hebrew word for peace is SHALOM. It starts with a SHIN (protection), has a LAMED (God’s leading) in the middle, and a closed MEM (hidden truths of God’s Word) at the end. With SHALOM, God offers us His protection and leading into the hidden truths of His Word, where we can find true rest for our souls!This passage of scripture has great promises for those who LOVE God’s Law.We will have great PEACE – SHALOM. Nothing will cause to stumble.They have HOPE for their SALVATION. HOPE is made up of a SHIN (peace), a BEIT (boundaries of God’s Word), and a RESH (Human Reasoning). The Hebrew word for SALVATION is Yeshuah (the same word for our Savior Jesus). We will have peace when we stay within the boundaries of God’s Word and stay away from human reasoning. Our HOPE is found in Jesus. He is the only way to the Father, not our good works…We will DO (accomplish) and KEEP God’s commandments, testimonies, and precepts. The word KEEP (SHAMAR) is used twice in this section of scripture and it has been used quite often throughout Psalm 119. SHAMAR begins with a SHIN (Protection), has a MEM (Word of God) in the middle, and a RESH (human reasoning) at the end. There is protection in the Word of God from our human reasoning. All our ways are before you – The word for BEFORE means to LINE UP. Do ALL our ways line up with God’s Ways?This is a great check list to see if we really love God’s Ways, or are we still following our human reasoning?Tuv, Tau, TavDay 39Psalm 119: 169-172Our final letter is a Tau or Tav, which means a MARK or a SEAL. When we accept Christ as our Savior, acknowledging His sacrificial death on the cross for all of our sins, we are SEALED by the Holy Spirit, and MARKED as His! Ephesians 1:13-14 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were SEALED in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a PLEDGE of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.Do we understand the amazing promises that come to us when we are marked for God? If we do we can come before God in confidence knowing that He loves us and wants to be a part of our lives. And when we lift up prayers to Him, He is listening and responding. The word for SUPPLICATION used in verse 170 is techinnah. It is made up of a TUV (marked and sealed), a CHET (abundant life through the blood of Jesus), a NUN (humble ourselves), and a HEI (breathe of God). Here is the meaning of supplication from the Hebrew letters: when those who are marked and given abundant life through the Blood of Jesus, humble themselves before God, and ask Him to breathe onto our prayer requests. Prayers should not just be thrown in God’s direction casually, but with great reverence knowing the ultimate price Jesus paid so we could pray to God! The outflow of our spirit before and after we pray is to sing praises to Almighty God! Our lips should be constantly praising God for His goodness, faithfulness, and power… A powerful way to praise is to sing the Word of God back to God. Not just read it, but to put it to song! Psalm 119:171-172 Let my lips utter PRAISE, For You teach me Your statutes. Let MY TONGUE SING of Your word, For all Your commandments are righteousness.Day 40Psalm 119: 173-176As we saw yesterday, the letter TUV means a MARK. A MARK is something that is noticeable to us and the people around us; showing where or allegiance lies. These last 4 verses show us the MARKS of God and the MARKS of a believer. We see the MARKS of GOD ALMIGHTY in the declarations the writer makes about the Lord. God’s hand is always ready to help us. The word for hand is YAD, and it means an open right hand, which signifies power and direction. The word HELP means to surround, protect, and bring us aid. Salvation is only from God. The word for salvation is YESHUAH, which means deliverer, aid, victory, help, and protection. This is also the Jewish name for JESUS.God brings life to our souls, He refreshes and enlivens them. The word for live is CHAYAH which means to give life, to come alive, to save.God always seeks us when we stray away from Him. He is our good shepherd and He always goes after His lost sheep. The MARKS OF A BELIEVER are found in the declarations the writer makes about himself. He says, I have chosen Your precepts, Your law is my delight, Your ordinances help me, and I will not forget Your commandments.FAITHFULNESS to God and His ways by knowing that His ways are perfect, and our ways are not.CONFIDENCE (Peace) in all circumstances because he KNOWS the Lord is with Him always.OBEDIENCE to God’s ways, acknowledging and being careful to walk in them.Do we see the MARKS OF GOD as GOOD?Are we consistent to exhibit the MARKS OF A BELIEVER?Which way are we going to choose? Joshua 24:15 “Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve… but of me and my house, we will serve the Lord!”I hope you have thoroughly enjoyed going slowly through Psalm 119 as much as I have. There are six other alphabetical Psalms (Psalms 9, 10, 25, 34, 37, and 145), but they do not have the letters as headings. I encourage you to study them on your own. We will share the breakdown of the alphabet on the blog page today or tomorrow to help you in your study. Various words used for God’s Words used in Psalm 119Law (the Torah, God’s laws) of the Lord- walk in it, see the wonderful things written in it, follow it and keep it with our whole heart, do not turn aside from it, delight in it - it leads us in the faithful way, He gives us understanding, it gives us freedom, valuable, it is a delight and it shows compassion, it keeps us from perishing in our afflictionsHis testimonies(stories of faith) – observe(guard) them, rejoice in them, delight in them, let them be your counselors, share these with others, walk in their path- He inclines our heart to themHis Ways (the way we are to live our lives)– walk in them, keep the in high regard (respect) –they revive me, His precepts (non-negotiables for moral conduct) - commands us to Keep (guard) them diligently, meditate on them, understand them, observe them and let them be who we are, do not forsake them –they revive us, His Statutes (written boundaries)– keep (guard) them, study them, delight in them, meditate on them, let them be our songs,, be blameless in following them, do not forget them –He will be our teacher in good times and times of affliction, in our obedience we will not be ashamedHis commandments (orders for our good)– look at them, do not wander away from them, delight in them, love them, keep them, believe in them –they show us the path to run on, they enlarge our hearts, teach us good discernment and knowledge, give us understanding, all of them are faithfulHis righteous judgments (verdicts – blessings for obedience, curses for disobedience)– they are faithful and sometimes we will be afflicted by the consequences of our disobedience, know that those who come against the righteous will be judgedHis Word (the Bible)– keep (guard) it, treasure it, not forget it, live by them, trust in it, use it to give answers to those who reproach us, remember it, wait for it, long for it- it revives us, it strengthens us, He establishes it in us as a firm foundation, produces reverence for God, brings us God’s lovingkindness and salvation, it gives us hope, comforts us in affliction, gives us grace, He deals with us according to His Word, keeps us from going astray, it stands like a pillar in heaven (Settled vs 90)His ordinances (blessings for obedience, curses for disobedience)– tell others about them, they are good and pleasant, remember them – they keep us faithful, give us hope, comfort us, the earth stands because of God’s ordinancesHis wonders (miracles) – mediate on them ................
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